


You Marked on My Skin

by writerinthedark4



Category: Juliantina - Fandom
Genre: AU - Juliantina, F/F, Juliantina Appreciation Week
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-20
Updated: 2020-10-19
Packaged: 2021-03-09 06:07:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,318
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27109972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/writerinthedark4/pseuds/writerinthedark4
Summary: Juliana is back in México as a known fashion designer after years of living abroad. She never thought about taking root in her home country again, not when painful memories from her past continue to invade her mind. But she also never thought about the possibility of meeting someone like Valentina Carvajal and that, maybe, changing her plans for the CEO wouldn't be such a bad idea.
Relationships: Valentina Carvajal/Juliana Valdés
Comments: 27
Kudos: 128





	You Marked on My Skin

**Author's Note:**

> Hello fellas!
> 
> This fic is part of the Juliantina Weekly Fic Challenge that I'm a week late to post! I hope you like it!  
> Thanks Kelem for challenging me with this story, it has become a favorite of mine to write!

"And lastly, just to end this speech cuz I can see people half sleeping and yawning from all this talk," Juliana said laughing jokingly, making the whole room laugh with her. “I would like to thank the organizers of this incredibly important event and for my nomination. I left my country many years ago, but that has never meant and will never mean that I don't appreciate or love México. I take my country with me everywhere I travel, and there’s a part of it in all my pieces. I'm very proud to be Mexican, and this award,” She lifted the heavy object in her hands. “Will be physical proof of my love for México. Thank you very much and have a good night.”

Juliana finished her speech and left the stage to go behind the scenes of the National Science and Arts Award, in which she had been honored with her work as a fashion designer taking a piece of Mexican culture in every piece she has ever made.

As soon as she left the stage and the spotlight and the thousands of stares of people applauding her, she finally managed to release all the air that was trapped in her lungs. Juliana loved the prestige, but not all the attention it brought along.

"It was incredible, Juls!" Joana, her friend and business partner, pulled her further into the large room, which was full of groups of people talking animatedly, and hugged her tightly. “I've already received half a dozen proposals from magazines that want just five minutes of your time to do an interview. You were even offered covers for you!”

"Covers?" Juliana asked, raising an eyebrow. "Really?"

Juliana was known for many things in the fashion world, and there were many rumors circulating around her name for years, but none of them has ever been confirmed or not, because, one of the most well-known facts people knew about the black-haired woman is that she's extremely reserved. Nobody knows much about her personal life, as she rarely did interviews.

She kept her personal life the way she liked it best: intact.

She had been lucky enough that no one to this day had found anything about her past, that she did her best to keep it hidden. But now there was no reason for her not to do interviews, there was no reason for her to say no. Not anymore.

"Did you really think that you wouldn't be harassed as you have been since the minute you set foot in your home country again?" Joana asked and grinned at Juliana. “People have been waiting for this for years, Juliana, and they want you here. To stay."

“They haven't been expecting this for years, Jo,” Juliana rolled her eyes in amusement and started walking again. “They barely knew who I was a year ago. Besides, my home is in Spain, you know that. And yours too.”

"Oh, I thought your home was here, in Mexico?" Joana raised an eyebrow already knowing the answer she was going to say.

"You know what I mean."  
"Anyway," Joana continued. “We can move here. The only thing that holds me there is you. And the only thing that holds you there is yourself.” Joana said.

Juliana knew that her friend was just saying the truth. Nothing holds her back in Spain now, she could move back to Mexico tomorrow if she wanted to. She could open another store in the city and keep the one in Spain, which was already one of her plans. She just didn't expect things to happen faster than she was expecting.

But she wouldn't give that taste of being right to her friend that easy.

"What about my job, Jo? Our job?" Juliana looked at her quickly as she continued to walk. “My work has its base in Spain. My store is there. Everything I own is there.”

"But your heart is here and you can easily just open another store here, Juls, why are you still so resistant to that idea, you're no longer in danger here, your-"

"Joana, that's enough." Juliana stopped walking abruptly and turned seriously to her friend. "This matter is not to be discussed here." She continued, speaking even lower. “This subject is never to be discussed again. And you know that."

Juliana looked at her friend for a few more seconds, her expression serious and skittish.  
"I'm sorry," Joana finally replied, placing her hands on the waist of her friend and partner. "I forgot, I'm sorry."

Juliana felt her body relax after a few seconds of looking at her friend and dropped her shoulders. "No, I'm sorry," she pulled Joana into a hug. "I shouldn't have talked to you like that."

Juliana felt Joana smile on her shoulder when she heard that. "Okay, I’ll fully forgive you after you buy me dinner at the most expensive restaurant in town and-"

“Juliana Valdés,” Joana was interrupted by a thin, soft voice coming from behind her and the two friends turned to face one of the most beautiful women Juliana had ever seen.

"Valentina Carvajal," Joana spoke back, extending her hand to the woman in front of her while Juliana tried to remember where she had seen that face. She must be a model, for sure.

"You know me?" The woman, Valentina, asked, raising an eyebrow as she took a step forward, greeting Joana.

Joana smiled at her and turned to Juliana. "Of course I know you, Juls, Valentina is the CEO of one of the largest companies in the Mexican audiovisual industry."

"It's my family's company," Valentina replied with a shrug and extending her hand to Juliana, to greet her as well.

"Not all heirs can take the job of CEO of one of Mexico's largest companies and still make it work." Juliana responded by shaking the woman's hand with the bluest eyes she had ever seen, but she shook the thought from her head quickly, not wanting to remember the other blue eyes that still chased her dreams at times.

"That's true, it's not an easy job," Valentina replied, smiling slightly, letting go of Juliana's hand and taking it into her pants pocket. "I understand that you don't know who I am, like your friend?"

Juliana smiled empathetically. "No, I'm sorry." She twisted her mouth as she faced the other woman. "Should I know?" She asked, turning to Joana.

"No, Juls," Joana said chuckling. "I know who Valentina is because she works in the same field as me, and I would be surprised if you know who she is too, you live in your own little world sometimes."

Joana finished saying and smiled at Valentina back, whom Juliana noticed that as soon as she set her eyes over the CEO again, the chestnut looked away just in time.

"Well, anyway, I wanted to congratulate you on the award and say that I'm a big fan of your work." Valentina said sweetly, smiling at Juliana, looking quickly at her arms before returning her gaze to the black-haired eyes. "When I heard you were going to be awarded I couldn't help but come too." Juliana heard those words come out of Valentina's mouth and she did her best not to stare at the other woman's lips as she spoke.

A job not as easy as it seemed when the business woman's mouth was the most kissable mouth Juliana had ever seen. Probably in her life.

"Are you going to stay for dinner afterward?" Valentina asked.

"Oh, ahm, no," Juliana said, trying to compose herself and praying that Valentina didn't realize how weird she was acting. “I’m not a fan of these situations that much. I'm going to have dinner with Joana somewhere else.” She finished and turned to look at her friend, who was looking at her and Valentina with a small grin on her lips.

Great. Joana had already noticed that Juliana was acting strange.

"Oh, that's a shame," Valentina said and she seemed to be really saddened by the news. “How much longer will you be in the city? I would love to be able to take you out to dinner sometime and talk a little bit about your work. For an interview, just to be clear. Which I also don’t know if you're doing them? I should have asked before because I know you don't do interviews but I wanted to try my luck and now I’ve been talking forever,” Valentina said all that very fast and Juliana held her laugh, finding it adorable the way the other woman spoke fast and lots of things at the same time when she was apparently nervous.

"Juliana will be in the city for a few more days, and you probably already know that our designer here is not a fan of interviews," Joana winked at Juliana, who rolled her eyes, changing the weight of her legs and placing her hands in the back pockets of her pants that she was using, while catching Valentina staring at her arms again. “But can you give me your contact details and, who knows, maybe we can arrange something? After all, we're not dealing with just any media in the country. Or just anyone.”

Joana put her hand on Juliana's waist and gave a quick squeeze, leaving her hand there. Juliana couldn't help noticing how Valentina's gaze followed the movements and her expression changed for a millisecond. What was going through her head?

"That would be incredible," Valentina said, smiling at the two of them, and then reaching for her bag, opening it and taking out a rectangular paper from inside, raising her hand to Joana. Who picked up the paper and started reading it. “This is my card, call me anytime so we can organize it. Or maybe organize this possible interview.” Valentina finished saying, smiling at both of them.

"Are you a CEO as well as a journalist too?" Juliana asked curiously. She couldn't organize her schedule just as a fashion designer, she couldn't imagine being a CEO and a journalist.

"My original background is in the journalism world," Valentina started to explain. “But my father also wanted me to have some kind of knowledge in management and I did my post and MBA in it. But nowadays, my job as CEO obviously takes all my time and then some more.” Valentina laughed dryly. “I use some of my privileges as the owner of the company to use my journalistic talent from time to time for matters that I care about.” She replied, shrugging.

"And you care about me?" Juliana asked, raising an amused eyebrow.

"Your job taking our culture out of the country matters to me," Valentina replied, smiling back and Juliana nodded embarrassed after having the intentions of the other woman clarified.

She had forgotten for two seconds that they were talking about work.

"Sure, that's what I meant," Juliana replied nodding. “We’ll think carefully about your proposal. But it’s not that I’m being a snob,” Juliana tried to explain herself quickly, not understanding the need to explain it to Valentina. It's not like she cares about what journalists think of her. Or nobody. "It's just that I don't really feel comfortable in interviews."

"Well, if you accept my proposal, I will make an extra effort to make you as comfortable as possible," Valentina said staring at Juliana, her gaze going towards to the top of Juliana's arm quickly before going to her lips and then rising again as she took a step back, and Juliana tried, but it was too late. Her body had already reacted to those stares and now she wanted to know what was really behind that meeting Valentina so wanted. “I'll let you guys go then, I'll wait for your call to arrange something. Will I maybe see you there too, Joana?”

 _"Ooh, smooth."_ Juliana thought as her friend answered the question.

"Me? Oh no. Juliana and I already live together and work together and travel together, it’ll be healthy to do something apart from once.” Joana replied chuckling.  
"Oh no, please, I don't want to disrupt your plans in the city," Valentina replied, widening her eyes as if she had proposed something wrong. "A couple has to enjoy the good times in the city too, especially a city as beautiful as Mexico, it can't be all work."

"I super agree and will remember this advice when I find my next girlfriend, for now, I do it all with my best friend here." Joana pulled Juliana closer to her and Juliana tried to contain the laugh that was going to escape her throat when she realized what her friend had done.

“Jesus, I'm sorry. I thought you were together.” Valentina said, looking really worried about saying something wrong, but at the same time relieved. Who was that woman?

"It's okay," Juliana waved her hand in the middle of them. “People confuse us as a couple all the time. And we also don't help being always together.”

Valentina nodded at that as if she understood what she heard. "Anyway, I'm sorry." She smiled and Juliana realized how bigger her smile was than before. “I’ll wait for the call. See you later, Juliana. Good dinner for you two.” Valentina responded and waved while walking backward, staring at Juliana once again and turning around completely two seconds later, heading towards the backstage exit of the event.

"Close your mouth so you don't drool, Juju," Joana said, touching Juliana's chin as if she were closing it.

"Stop it," Juliana slapped her hand. "Come on, I'm hungry,"

"Oh, I could see how hungry you were." Joana joked and Juliana knew very well what she meant by that. Her stomach turned over at the possibility.

"Joana." She spoke seriously while going outside the backstage too. "Stop."

The event was already over, with Juliana being the last person to be honored that night. And God, how tired she was. She couldn't wait to be able to get to the hotel and take off her heels and clothes, slip into a sweatshirt and sleep until she couldn’t do it anymore.

"What?" Joana feigned innocence. "And if you want to know, she couldn't take her eyes off you as much as you couldn't take yours off her."

"Now you're nuts." Juliana said as she headed for her rental car.

“I'm not crazy, I was in the middle of you two. I saw it with my own eyes.”

“You're delirious, Joana. Did you see that woman?” Juliana got in the car and straightened in the back seat. “Speaking of which, who is that woman? How do you know her?"

"I already said, I know her because she works in the same field as me." Joana repeated getting into the car and closing the door behind her. "Good evening!" Joana told the driver that just had gotten in the car too.

"Evening," Juliana said as the car started to move. "Joana, just because you work in the same field doesn't mean anything."

"Well, that and the fact that she's also a lesbian." Juliana's eyes widened as soon as she heard those words come out of her friend's mouth.

"What do you mean?"

"Gay, Juliana, just like you, like me, she likes women." Joana looked at her friend with a sarcastic smile on her face. "Now you understand why she looked at you so much all the time, don't you?"

"Joana, I think hunger is affecting your brain." Juliana said, taking out her cell phone and opening the messaging app.

"It may be, but that she was mapping every little part of your body she was."

"Whatever," Juliana replied without looking up.

"Are you talking to her?" Joana asked when she saw that Juliana was writing a message to someone.

"Yes," Juliana sighed and put the phone away again. "I haven't seen her in over five years."

“Rosa loves you, Juliana. She loves you like a daughter. You told me yourself that she said she loved you more than Mateo himself.” Joana joked, pushing Juliana slightly.

"I know." Juliana spoke softly. "But still, I'm the one here and not him."

Joana took her friend's hand when she heard that and brought it to her lips giving a soft kiss. "And, I’m sorry, but I'm forever grateful for that." Juliana turned to her best friend and smiled, leaning down to kiss her on the cheek and then returning back to her original position, looking out the window and thinking about everything that has happened since she left Mexico and everything that could happen if she, perhaps, decided to stay longer.

And maybe, now, she wanted to stay in Mexico for more than one reason.

-

"I was surprised when I saw that the call I was receiving was yours," Valentina said as she pulled up a chair to sit opposite Juliana, who had arrived five minutes earlier. "I mean, not yours, Joana's." She settled in the chair. "Hi,"

Juliana was trying very hard not to look at Valentina's cleavage, which was literally right in front of her eyes. She just needed to look down and- no. That was wrong. They were at a business dinner, Juliana was going to be interviewed.

Interview that was being done by a stunning Valentina, wearing high-waisted jeans and a salmon-colored top with gold stripes and a black leather jacket. This woman was too beautiful for her own good.

It had been four days since the first time Juliana had laid eyes on the woman and it had been four days since she couldn't take the clearest blue eyes she had ever seen in her life out of her head.

"Hola, Valentina," Juliana smiled at her politely. "I'm going through some changes in my professional life and I think that starting being interviewed by you will be a good start."

Juliana saw how Valentina had eyed her entire body as far as she could, leaving the black-haired woman in doubt whether the blue-eyed woman was acting that way knowing that Juliana was seeing her or was acting without realizing it.

Whatever the answer was, however, was going to have the same effect Juliana's body was having at the time, and dinner hadn't even started properly. It was going to be a long night.

"And I'm extremely honored to have been chosen as the first journalist to interview you like this," Valentina said while raising a hand, calling for a waiter. "I will try to keep my promise and keep you comfortable for the total time we're together." She said looking at Juliana, who was looking back at her.

"Can you bring me a glass of your best wine- I assume you drink wine?" Valentina asked Juliana, who nodded. "Perfect, you can bring your best wine, two menus and a bottle of water too, please."

Juliana saw how Valentina spoke to the waiter and realized that the waiter was almost mesmerized by the beauty of the CEO, something that Juliana knew was the understatement of the year and the designer could now fully understand. "Have you been here?"

Valentina and Joana had arranged this dinner together, as the designer was still busy with countless requests for work while she was in the city, which was the last thing Juliana wanted to do while in town, but she couldn't say no to work.

Not when she was trying to create a solid reputation for herself in her country.

"Yes, this is one of my favorite restaurants, actually," Valentina said, looking around. "Its view is just one of my favorites."

Juliana looked around her, mentally agreeing that the place was incredible.

They were on the 45th floor of the apparent largest and tallest revolving restaurant in Mexico City and the world. The view from the windows gave a 180-degree view of the whole city, which was a shame, as she couldn't see much thanks to the darkness of the night. But Juliana made a mental note to return there during the day. Maybe she could bring Joana and-  
"Where did you go now?" Valentina asked, resting her elbows on the table and her chin in her hands.

"I was thinking about how amazing this place is." Juliana smiled at her. "Thank you for bringing me here."

"You’re welcome," Valentina replied, looking at Juliana and at that moment the waiter arrived with the menus and the bottle of wine, filling up two glasses for them in half and leaving shortly after, warning that he would be back in a few minutes.

“Gracias,” Juliana thanked him and took the menu, scanning the food options. For a moment she looked up from the menu and realized that Valentina was doing the same. Just blue eyes in evidence staring back before hiding behind the menu, which Juliana was starting to hate. "Any indication?"

"Oh, ahmm." Valentina said, clearing her throat. "Usually when I come here I order a Norwegian salad with smoked salmon as a starter and a filet mignon or lobster as a main dish, both are perfect."

"Hmm," Juliana said, licking her lips knowing that Valentina would see the movement, which she confirmed when she looked up and saw that the brown-haired woman had swerved away. "I will go to Filet Mignon then.. in Spain I eat seafood all the time." Juliana said, lowering the menu and looking at Valentina, who had already lowered hers too. "And for dessert?"

Juliana knew she was playing with fire. She had already realized the way Valentina looked at her, and she could no longer lie to herself, she knew how her body vibrated whenever she felt Valentina staring at her.

“We can choose together when we finish dinner. And the interview,” Valentina replied. "There are several options too," Juliana smiled at that and nodded.

Tonight would be a long one.

-

"So, do you intend to open another store here in Mexico?" Juliana heard Valentina ask her as she refilled their two glasses of wine.

"It wasn't in my plans, honestly," Juliana started to respond. “But not because I didn't want to open a branch here, I just hadn't really thought about the possibility. But now that I’m going to spend a few more days in the city.. I’ll join my team to see what we need to do so that this can become something more concrete.”

They’ve been talking for almost an hour now and Valentina had remained professional enough, changing the mood that had been hovering between the two of them throughout the course of dinner.

They talked about trivial things, personal questions but never too personal, neither trying to enter territory not yet known, and Juliana didn't know if Valentina had researched her before the interview and realized that Juliana never talked about her personal life, or if Valentina was just being polite.

"What you need is time here to get everything in order and start your clientele," Valentina added, taking a sip from her wine glass, smiling.

Juliana smiled back. "I'm afraid it's not that easy," she explained.

"How can it not be?" Valentina leaned on the table, looking directly at Juliana. “You're the owner, aren't you? If you want to come, you can come.” She ended by saying with a shrug. The words unintentionally having another meaning to Juliana.

"Technically yes," Juliana agreed. “But it involves more things. My work is all there. My life is all there.”

"You don't have any relatives here?" Valentina asked and Juliana sat up straight when she heard the question.

"No," she replied. "My whole life is in Spain."

"And... is anyone waiting for you to go back there?" Valentina inquired. “Is that why you can't come? Or don't want to come? You have a waiting boyfriend?” Valentina lowered her voice as she said the last word. "Waiting for you in Barcelona?"

Juliana smiled at that, playing with her fork on her plate. "I don't live in Barcelona," She stared at Valentina. “I live in Madrid. And you know that I don't have a boyfriend.” She challenged the blue-eyed woman.

"I don't know anything about you," Valentina shrugged again and finished the drink in her glass, filling it again and turning the bottle over to Juliana's glass, which still had two fingers from the dark red liquid. "Want more?"

Juliana accepted, nodding and waiting until she finished pouring the wine, taking it to her mouth and drinking a big sip as she faced Valentina, who was doing the same thing across the table. "You may not know much about me, but you certainly know that I don't have a boyfriend." Juliana propped herself up on the table with her elbows. "Or at least I don't usually date the male gender."

"So you have a girlfriend waiting for you back home," Valentina questioned, also leaning on the table, only two inches from each other. Valentina's perfume was invading Juliana's senses, making her want to back out a little, but the banter game was just too interesting for her to get away at that moment.

Juliana stared at the other woman for a few long seconds, studying her face, seeing how soft her skin looked and how much she wanted to touch it with her fingers and lips. “You also know that I don't have one. You thought Joana was my girlfriend.”  
"Something she was quick to explain that I was wrong," Valentina smiled as she said. "Too quick."

It was Juliana's turn to shrug now. "She was just clearing things up, so you wouldn't be confused."

"And am I confused?" Valentina asked in a low voice that Juliana could feel inside her.

"It depends on what you mean." Juliana replied back, her voice as low as Valentina’s, their eyes never breaking contact.

But it seemed that Valentina wanted to break the moment a little, because Juliana saw her lean back in her chair, a short smile on the corner of her lip. "This may seem unprofessional since I came here and called you just for an interview and a friendly dinner-"

"Oh, I'm finding dinner extremely friendly, Valentina," Juliana clarified, also leaning back in her chair.

"I said I would do my best to make you comfortable, Juliana." Valentina said looking at her, the smile on her face bigger now. "Let's just finish this interview, I have just a few more questions for you, and then we can talk about what I was talking about,"

Juliana raised an eyebrow, "Sure," she said. "Ask away."

“We already talked about the possibility of you opening your store here in Mexico, but what about other countries? Even across Europe, which is where you live. Any plans for that?” Valentina asked, making Juliana smile as she heard it.

“Yes, actually, I have some projects that I plan to put in place as soon as I get back to Madrid,” Juliana replied, “I want to build a store with more affordable prices, same quality, but maybe I could do it in more numbers since in my solo boutique all the pieces are unique.” She paused. “I want everyone to be able to buy something from me, and I know that my designers today are not accessible to everyone. I want to change that.”

Juliana saw how Valentina smiled when she heard her answer. “This is incredible, Juliana. It's a very good idea. Clothes were made to be comfortable and to express your personality when dressing, feel good about yourself. If your clothes can do that to everyone, you're sure to be doing something incredibly good.”

Juliana also smiled as Valentina spoke. “That's exactly why I want it. I wish that as a teenager I could buy my clothes today, I want a large part of the girls and women to be able to do that too.”

"You said before that you had no family in Mexico," Valentina started again and Juliana felt her body freeze. She had forgotten to say that she didn't want any questions related to her family, but when mentioning her teenage self, that must have reminded her of some questions that Valentina was waiting for just a slip to be able to ask them.

She didn't give many interviews thanks to that same reason, but the few interviews that she had given, Joana was always beside her, and she made it understood that no kind of question about family would be answered or tolerated.

Damn Valentina and her beauty that literally made Juliana dizzy. Where had this woman come from?

"Valentina," Juliana interrupted her as politely as she could. "I forgot to tell you that, and probably Joana too, but I prefer to leave personal matters out of the interview." She said looking at Valentina, who was looking back at her. "Please."

Valentina nodded immediately. “Sure, I'm sorry. I didn't know,” she apologized.

"No, no need to apologize, we forgot to warn you before." Juliana tried to assure her. "You can ask all your questions that have to do with my work, I’ll answer all of them." She finished smiling with her most sincere one, trying to show Valentina that it was okay with her to ask that question. She just wanted her to know that she wouldn’t answer any more questions not related to her job.

"Can we talk about something that doesn't have so much to do with your work as well, but that is the scene of several questions from your followers?" Valentina asked and Juliana could feel that she was a little nervous to have asked the wrong thing again.

"It depends," Juliana replied smiling, trying to make it appear that she was okay when it was the last thing she was at that moment.

"Your tattoos," Valentina asked bluntly. "Your tattoos are a great curiosity for people who know your work as a designer, since it’s not very normal to see famous designers with their arms completely tattooed," Valentina said and her gaze focused on Juliana's arms, or at least her forearms, since the rest was covered with the orange sweatshirt she was wearing.

"No, it's not very normal," Juliana agreed, nodding and turning her arm, looking at the visible arts tattooed on them.

"Can I ask you the reason for them, if they're just there or if they even have a reason behind it at all," Valentina asked and Juliana realized how carefully she was handling the matter, and that made her lose her nervousness a little.

She was not dealing with a journalist who wanted to know all the gossip about her personal life, Valentina was really doing her job and respecting the limits that Juliana had given. And she had not forbidden any questions about her tattoos, so Juliana could talk about them without telling the truth behind them. It’s not as if anyone would doubt the veracity of the reasons.

"Ahm.. there are not many reasons behind." Juliana started to respond, thousands of memories running through her head. “I always loved to get tattooed and I started it in my early twenties. And I'm still doing it until today.”

"Are they all over your body?" Valentina asked and Juliana raised an eyebrow, making Valentina blush when she realized what she had asked. "I mean, not literally all over your body or some improper part, I mean if it's in other parts, like your legs or thighs and- in other places in general."

Valentina spoke so quickly again that Juliana could barely keep up with the journalist's reasoning, making her laugh lightly at the almost verbal trampling. It was amazing how adorable Valentina could be in one moment and then completely sensual and full of herself the next minute.

"I have them only in my arms, some on my back... but mostly in my arms," Juliana explained. "And I didn't make them in one place, I have tattooed on my body the art of several artists from different nationalities."

"What do you mean? In every country, you get a tattoo with someone local?” Valentina asked.

"Yes, basically," Juliana confirmed. "It's like a geographic tattoo bingo."

"How many do you have?" Valentina asked curiously.

"I honestly don't know anymore," Juliana replied smiling. "I lost count after the 27th."

"Wow," Valentina replied, looking genuinely impressed. "You are literally a blank canvas for tattoo artists," she said smiling.

"Not anymore, I’m already well scribbled." Juliana said looking at the journalist. " _You_ are a blank canvas for tattoo artists." She continued, her eyes roaming over the exposed skin of the blue-eyed woman. “Your skin would be perfect to be touched for the first time. By a tattoo artist.”

"Only by a tattoo artist?" Valentina asked, turning off the tape recorder she had brought to record the interview and storing it in her bag.

Juliana shrugged. “For whoever you wanted, Valentina. The skin is yours.” She looked at Valentina, who pressed her lower lip to her mouth, making Juliana wish more than anything at that moment that she could be doing it in her place.

"The thing is, Juliana," Valentina started to say, leaning more on the table and getting closer to the designer. "I don't think I can hide the attraction I feel for you anymore."

"Ah, did you try to hide it?" Juliana asked jokingly, with a low voice also leaning over the table. The only thing between them was the decoration piece in the center of it.

"Apparently I didn't do a good job," Valentina said, almost whispering. "But you weren't much better than me." She sat straighter, staring at Juliana as she placed her left hand on the table.

"I'm very bad at hiding facial reactions," Juliana revealed.

"Lucky me," Valentina replied. "I like expressive people." She smiled quickly at Juliana, who felt Valentina's other hand, which was under the table, touching her knee over the fabric of her pants. "Are you going to want to eat dessert?"

"Here?" Juliana asked, raising an eyebrow.

She also didn’t want to and could no longer deny that her attraction was already impossible to control. She just wanted to kill that desire right away and get on with her life as she did before different blue eyes pestered her in her thoughts at different times of the day.

“Are we going to my apartment? It's not too far. We can order a car, I came here without mine.”

"Perfect," Juliana replied, already feeling the anticipation of what would happen in the next few hours affecting her body and having a result right in the middle of her legs. "Waiter!" Juliana raised her hand without taking her eyes off Valentina. "The check please."

Soon after paying the bill, which Valentina insisted on paying alone since the invitation had been hers, the two headed towards the elevator, which did not take long to arrive and both entered accompanied by other people who were also leaving the restaurant.

Valentina took Juliana's hand and pulled her to the bottom of the elevator, one facing the other with smirks on their lips, which Valentina couldn't take her eyes off Juliana's.

43th Floor.

"How long until your apartment?" Juliana asked, her body close enough to Valentina that she could smell the perfume even stronger now.

"About 20 minutes," Valentina replied and Juliana could feel the other woman's hot breath hitting her lips, making her lick them involuntarily, enough to make Valentina's eyes glued to them. "Why? Are you in a hurry?"

Juliana smiled a short smile, taking Valentina's waist in her hands gently as she slowly turned them around, leaving Valentina leaning against the wall of the elevator that was still on the 36th floor, but with only four more people inside, all too busy in their lives to see what they were doing.

"I don't," Juliana replied. "But my body.."

30th floor. 

Two more people left the elevator. Valentina put her hands on Juliana's waist, bringing her body closer to hers.

"Your body what?" She whispered.

"My body doesn't understand the concept of being in a hurry or not," Juliana said, licking her lips. “It just is in a hurry. I can't control it.”

25th floor. 

Everyone got off, just the two of them in the elevator now.

"No?" Valentina asked, her voice barely audible. Juliana could hear a pounding heartbeat but she didn't know if it was hers or Valentina's. Or both. "Your lips," Valentina said, moving closer to Juliana, their breasts touching. "They are so beautiful," she said looking at them.

"Have you seen yours?" Juliana asked back, incredulous that Valentina could find her lips so beautiful while hers were there. Fleshy. Rosy. Ready and begging to be devoured.

"I'm not talking about mine," Valentina said and raised a hand, touching her thumb on Juliana's bottom lip, tracing it. "It's yours that I want more than anything to kiss now."

19th Floor.

"You want, huh?" Juliana asked as she tilted her head a little and took Valentina's thumb with her teeth, biting it a little hard, eliciting a low moan from the blue-eyed woman while she held her breath, Juliana watching her close her eyes as her hand took the hand that was on her face and stuck the finger inside her mouth, sucking Valentina's finger slowly.

Juliana felt her legs tremble when Valentina opened her eyes and there was almost no blue, only black. Desire. And attraction.

"This is the sexiest thing I've ever seen in my life," Valentina whispered. Leaning over and catching Juliana's lower lip between her teeth, biting and sucking it for just two seconds when they both suddenly broke free when they heard the door opening on the 10th floor and four people entered.

Juliana sighed deeply, swallowing saliva and placing her hand on her chest while she and Valentina stood side by side, looking ahead. "Wait until we get to your house," Juliana said before the elevator door opened on the ground floor and she was being pulled by an almost running Valentina towards the exit of the building.

-

"Your house is very beautiful," Juliana said as she entered Valentina's apartment, which was on the top floor of a building that is not necessarily old but not so new, completely different from what she had expected from the CEO and journalist, and probably one of the richest women in the country.

"I bet you thought I lived either in a mansion or on the roof of a building in a fancy neighborhood," Valentina said playfully, leaning on the kitchen counter and taking off the short black boots she was wearing. Juliana looked away when she saw her taking off her jacket.

Rather than focusing on the blue-eyed woman, Juliana started walking through the CEO's spacious living room that appeared to be comfortable and functional enough for a woman to live alone, assuming that Valentina lived alone.

"Oh, wow," she exclaimed softly when she noticed the huge balcony that Valentina had in her living room, and went into the space, opening her sliding door and facing a silent city, only apartments and houses lights on.

"The first reason I bought this apartment was because it's just minutes away from my job, I don't have to face the crazy traffic this city has," Juliana heard her speak behind her back, but didn't turn to see her.

She could feel Valentina's body close to her without even seeing where the journalist was.

"And the second?" Juliana asked quietly, her voice breaking when she felt Valentina's body touch hers from behind.

"The second reason was the view," Valentina whispered in the designer's ear, pressing her body against Juliana's, sniffing her neck which made her tilt her head as far as she could to the left, giving Valentina more space to explore the place with delicate kisses. “The view is beautiful by day, but at night.. it may have become my favorite landscape as of today,”

Juliana felt Valentina say that with the lips of the chestnut against her neck, a shiver being sent to all parts of her body, making her involuntarily press one leg against the other in an attempt to relieve the pressure she felt in that region.

"You're such a smooth talker, Carvajal," Juliana whispered, her fingertips were white with the pressure she was putting on holding the edge of the porch, trying her best to keep herself in control but losing it passing every second.

And Valentina wasn't helping either. She started to move her body slowly behind the designer, her stealthy hand running around her waist towards the south of her body only to get under the coat that Juliana was wearing and rising slowly, making Juliana catch the air when she felt the cold fingers stroking her belly.

"Only when I want to," Valentina whispered in Juliana's ear, biting her lobe and making Juliana moan softly, leaning her head forward and leaning her hips further against Valentina’s, who was still torturing Juliana slowly with her hand wandering under her coat, touching the skin right under her boob.

"And I happen to want you very much right now, Juliana," Valentina said, reaching for Juliana's breast and squeezing it gently, but Juliana's moan was loud as if she had squeezed her nipple with all the strength in her body.

Juliana was burning with desire, her head heavy with millions of thoughts passing through it now and her legs were wobbly, that was the effect that Valentina Carvajal had on her but that in a thousand years she wouldn't verbalize it.

Valentina lowered the hand that massaged Juliana's chest over the lace bra she wore and lowered it again, joining her other hand to the front of Juliana's pants and unbuttoning it, placing her hand over the edge of her panties.

"Can I?" Valentina whispered again and Juliana only had the strength to place her hand over Valentina's, guiding it into her panties, both moaning when Valentina's two fingers came into contact with her innermost part. "Is that all for me?"

Juliana smiled when she heard the question with an incredulous tone from Valentina, “Yea,” the designer replied. "It seems like I don't have a lot of control over my body when you're around." She replied almost breathlessly, Valentina's fingers moving slowly under her panties and her hips finding a rhythm in common, a rhythm as if the two of them already knew, a rhythm that was theirs alone.

-

"They're much more beautiful being seen like this, up close," Valentina said in a low voice, tracing the drawings of Juliana's left arm with her index finger, her eyes going all the way along.

Juliana had no idea what time it was but she knew it was late. And that she should be home by now, but she didn't have the strength to move out of bed and take a naked Valentina off her.

It didn't take long for Valentina's fingers to work magic and for Juliana to reach her orgasm on the balcony, just as it didn't take long for the two of them to start undressing each other as they kissed and walked around the apartment hitting everything along the way, leaving a trail proof of the night that they would be having the whole night after they entered the journalist's suite.

But the trail wasn't just on the floor of the house, Juliana noticed. There were red marks on Valentina's body, scratches, kiss marks and light bites, and she didn't doubt that her body was the same or worse, Valentina, as Juliana realized, had no inhibitions when it was just the two of them alone.

"I like this one more," Valentina said, tracing her finger on one of the first tattoos that Juliana had done and that made her swallow dry when she realized which tattoo the journalist was referring to. "Where did you do it?"

Juliana moved uncomfortably under the woman. "Ahm.. I don't remember, I made it a long time ago."

"It looks like a prison tattoo," Valentina said jokingly and Juliana felt her body stiffen even more at the suggestion.  
"Are you saying I made it in prison?" Juliana asked, trying to demonstrate that she wasn’t uncomfortable with the question, her heart was beating too fast and she was sure that Valentina had noticed it too. It was impossible not to.

"Oh, no- no!" Valentina got up from Juliana's body, sitting next to her on the bed, her eyes wide. "I'm sorry, I don't want to say that- no, forget what I said, it was stupid, obviously you didn't do it in prison and-"

"What if I had done it there?" Juliana asked, raising an eyebrow, amused by the other woman's terrified reaction, her heart still pounding.

"There would be no problem either!" Valentina shook her head, still staring at the designer. "I don't know about your story, and I don't know what your life was like before and-"

"Val," Juliana interrupted, resolving to stop enjoying herself at the expense of the other woman's fright. "I'm playing with you, it’s okay."

She said laughing as Valentina pushed her slightly with irritation. “I thought you were serious! It wasn't funny, Juliana!” Valentina said annoyed but Juliana could see that she wasn't really angry.

"You think you're too funny," Valentina said, narrowing her eyes a little and shaking her head at Juliana, a mischievous smile on her lips, her eyes were running over Juliana's naked torso, as the designer had already caught her in action doing the same thing several times while they were intertwined. "Who’s Mateo?" She asked out of nowhere.

As soon as the words left Valentina's mouth Juliana felt her entire body freeze, and involuntarily, she sat on the bed and covered her body, mainly covering the tattoo. "I'm sorry, did I ask you something I shouldn't have?" Valentina wondered, probably feeling that something had happened to Juliana when she heard that name, since the brown-eyed hadn't been entirely discreet.

"No," Juliana got up from the bed looking at the floor, looking for her panties. "I just... I remembered that I have to go back to my hotel, I have an appointment tomorrow early and-"

“Juliana,” Valentina took the designer's arm and turned her to face her, Juliana's eyes going straight down to the journalist's naked body and then up to her eyes, seeing a smile in the corner of Valentina's mouth. "You don't have to go, it's late and-"

"Don't worry, I'm going to call the private car company that I've been using since I arrived in the city, they're very safe." Juliana broke free from Valentina's hands and left the room heading for the living room, picking up her clothes she found on the floor and getting dressed.

She turned around as she put on her coat and noticed that Valentina wasn't behind her as she thought she would be and went back to the CEO's room, seeing her sitting on the bed, a blanket wrapped around her body.

"Are you alright?" Juliana asked approaching the woman on the bed.

Valentina laughed sarcastically. "Are you serious?"

"What?" Juliana asked, looking at Valentina in confusion.

"You're practically running away from my apartment in the middle of the night, Juliana, a night we had a very good time so far, or I thought we had," She finished saying, shaking her head and getting up from the bed, going towards her closet, picking up a big blouse and passing it through her head.

Juliana watched the entire scene cursing herself mentally. She knew she was acting weird and that Valentina didn't deserve her leaving like that, as if she was hiding something.

She wasn’t, she just didn’t want to answer the dozens of questions that Valentina would surely ask her if she talked about Mateo. People always did.

"Val," she started to say, going over to the journalist and placing a hand on her shoulder. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to imply that I didn't... I really loved our night together." Valentina turned when she heard that. "I'm just not used to sleep in after-"

"After having sex?" Valentina rolled her eyes and went back to her room, Juliana walking right behind her.

"No! I mean, yes, too,” Juliana took a deep breath, annoyed with herself for letting the situation get this far. "I didn't regret what we did, okay?" She approached Valentina again, taking her hand in hers and looking deep into her eyes so that there was no doubt that she was being sincere. “I don't feel comfortable sleeping in like this, it's not you. Sorry for the cliché, really, but it's not your fault. But I really need to go.” She finished saying hoping to God that Valentina would understand. 

"Then go, Juliana." Valentina said and Juliana could feel how mad she was. Or hurt, which was worse. "I'm not stopping you."

"Val," Juliana ran a hand through her hair, frustrated. “Please, I loved everything we did today. Dinner, our conversation, the interview, coming here. Don't doubt it, please,” Juliana said, knowing she was almost begging the journalist to understand her. "I'm not running away."

"That's not what it looks like," Valentina broke free from Juliana's hands and headed for the living room.

Juliana took a last breath and went after her. "Valentina-"

"No, it's okay," Valentina interrupted. "I will send Joana the draft of the interview when it's ready, I won't post it before you review it."

So that was it. That was how their night was going to end and it was all Juliana's fault. "Ok, I- thank you." She said in a low voice, going towards her bag on the sofa and opening it, taking out her phone. "I'm going to order a car for myself-"

"Make yourself at home, I'm going in, but you can stay here until the car arrives." Valentina said not looking at Juliana. "Have a good night, Juliana." She said and turned to head towards her room, making Juliana hate herself having the last memory of those blue eyes being a hurtful one.


End file.
